4.  The applicant was born in 1943 and lives in Bardejov.
5.  The applicant was employed by the District National Committee (Okresný národný výbor) in Bardejov. In 1988 he was dismissed for breach of discipline. Subsequently courts at two levels of jurisdiction declared the dismissal unlawful. Their decisions became final on 2 August 1991.
 In 1990, while the above proceedings were pending, the national committees ceased to exist ex lege and their liquidation was formally completed on 31 July 1991. The national committees were replaced by district offices (okresné úrady) which were not, strictly speaking, the legal successors to the former.
6.  On 2 September 1991 the Bardejov District Office terminated the applicant’s contract of employment on the ground that the district national committee which had formerly employed him had ceased to exist. The applicant challenged this decision. He argued, in particular, that the government regulations on the liquidation of the former national committees were unlawful, that he had become an employee of the Bardejov District Office after his dismissal in 1988 was declared unlawful on 2 August 1991, and that the District Office had paid his salary until the end of 1991. He claimed compensation for damage caused by the termination of his contract of employment.
7.  On 6 March 1996 the Košice Regional Court upheld the first-instance judgment dismissing the action.
8.  The proceedings described below relate to the applicant’s subsequent attempts to obtain redress for the termination of his contract of employment. 2.1  Proceedings concerning the applicant’s action of 27 May 1996 (the Bardejov District Court file no. 4C 451/96)
9.  On 27 May 1996 the applicant sued the Bardejov District Office for a severance payment in respect of his dismissal in 1991. He further claimed a certificate of employment.
10.  On 11 October 1996 the Bardejov District Court exempted the applicant from the obligation to pay a court fee. On 11 September 1998 it asked him for further particulars of his claim.
11.  On 30 May 2001 the District Court discontinued the proceedings in respect of three claims which the applicant had withdrawn. It further decided to examine the remaining claim concerning a severance payment separately (see proceedings no. 4C 52/03 described below).
12.  The applicant appealed.
13.  On 28 February 2002 the Prešov Regional Court upheld the District Court’s decision to discontinue the proceedings in respect of the three claims. That decision became final on 28 January 2003. The Regional Court further rejected the remainder of the appeal as no appeal lay in respect of a procedural decision to examine a claim in separate proceedings.
14.  On 23 December 2002 the applicant appealed on points of law against the Regional Court’s decision. The District Court, which processed the appeal on points of law prior to its submission to the Supreme Court, requested further information from him on 27 January 2003.
15.  After obtaining the relevant information the District Court appointed a lawyer on 21 February 2005 to represent the applicant in the cassation proceedings. On 22 March 2005 the District Court again invited the applicant to give further details of his appeal.
16.  On 11 August 2005 the Supreme Court declared the appeal on points of law inadmissible as none of the statutory grounds permitting the use of that remedy had been established. 2.2  Proceedings concerning the applicant’s claim for a severance payment (the Bardejov District Court file No. 4C 52/03)
17.  The Bardejov District Court started dealing with the claim for a severance payment (which had been filed on 27 May 1996 – see paragraphs 9 and 11 above) on 14 March 2003.
18.  Between 14 October 2003 and 22 September 2005 it held six hearings at which the applicant failed to appear. He informed the court that he did not wish to attend.
19.  On 9 August 2004 the applicant asked for the trial judge to be required to stand down because of excessive delays in the proceedings and because the judge had been excluded for bias from two other sets of proceedings to which the applicant was a party.
20.  On 13 August 2004 the Prešov Regional Court found no relevant reason for requiring the judge to stand down.
21.  The proceedings are still pending.
22.  On 20 March 2003 the applicant lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court. He alleged a violation of his right to have the case determined without undue delay in the proceedings before the Bardejov District Court registered under file no. 4C 451/96. The applicant stated, inter alia, that the merits of his action had still not been determined after six years. He also alleged that his right to judicial protection had been jeopardised as a result of the length of the proceedings.
23.  On 2 October 2003 the Constitutional Court rejected the complaint. It noted that the applicant, who was represented by an advocate, complained exclusively of the Bardejov District Court proceedings no. 4C 451/96. It noted that under section 20(3) of the Constitutional Court Act it was bound by plaintiffs’ submissions as to the subject-matter of proceedings. It was the Constitutional Court’s practice to examine length-of-proceedings complaints only where the proceedings complained of were still pending before the authority liable for the alleged violation when the complaint to the Constitutional Court was filed. That requirement had not been met as regards the applicant’s complaint concerning the District Court’s conduct in proceedings no. 4C 451/96 since that court’s decision of 30 May 2001 had become final on 28 January 2003. 3.1  Proceedings concerning the applicant’s action of 13 July 1998 (the Bardejov District Court file no. 4C 966/98)
24.  On 13 July 1998 the applicant brought an action in the Bardejov District Court. He submitted that the State, represented by the Bardejov District Office, should be ordered to assign him work under a contract of employment and to satisfy his related financial claims.
25.  On 14 December 1998 the District Court invited the applicant to submit further details of his claims. The applicant replied on 17 December 1998.
26.  On 9 October 1999 the District Court informed the applicant that the claim was still incomplete. The applicant replied on 15 October 1999.
27.  On 10 December 2001 the District Court discontinued the proceedings on the ground that the applicant had failed to submit his claim in accordance with the formal requirements. The applicant appealed. The District Court submitted the case to the court of appeal on 25 February 2002.
28.  On 30 September 2002 the Prešov Regional Court upheld the District Court’s decision.
29.  On 3 December 2002 the applicant lodged an appeal on points of law. On 6 January 2003 he specified his grounds of appeal. He requested that he should be exempted from the obligation to pay a court fee and that the District Court should appoint a lawyer to represent him in the cassation proceedings. On 4 February 2003 the applicant submitted information about his financial situation.
30.  On 7 April 2003 the applicant informed the President of the District Court in separate proceedings that he was ill and unable to respond to the court’s requests. On 25 June 2003 he informed the District Court that he was no longer prevented from pursuing his cases.
31.  On 7 November 2003 the district-court judge involved in the preliminary processing of the applicant’s appeal on points of law asked for permission to withdraw from the case. On 26 November 2003 the Regional Court in Prešov dismissed her request.
32.  On 29 January 2004 the District Court asked the applicant for details of any change in his situation compared with that set out in his statement of 4 February 2003. The applicant replied on 8 March 2004.
33.  On 9 March 2004 the District Court asked the applicant to prove his and his wife’s income. The applicant submitted the relevant documents on 1 April 2004.
34.  On 3 June 2004 the District Court decided not to exempt the applicant from the obligation to pay a court fee. On 28 July 2004 he appealed. The Regional Court upheld the decision on 23 August 2004.
35.  On 28 October 2004 the District Court asked the applicant to provide further particulars of his appeal on points of law and to appoint a lawyer to represent him in the cassation proceedings. The applicant replied on 10 November 2004. The District Court transferred the file to the Supreme Court on 27 December 2004.
36.  On 10 February 2005 the Supreme Court discontinued the proceedings concerning the applicant’s appeal on points of law on the ground that the applicant had not complied with the statutory requirement of compulsory legal representation. That decision became final on 7 March 2005.
37.  On 15 February 2002 the applicant complained to the Constitutional Court about the length of the proceedings in his action commenced on 13 July 1998.
38.  On 25 June 2003 the Constitutional Court found that during the relevant period, which had lasted from 13 July 1998 to 25 February 2002, the Bardejov District Court had infringed the applicant’s constitutional right to have the case decided without undue delay. The District Court had been inactive without any justification between 16 October 1999 and 10 December 2001. The applicant had contributed to the length of the proceedings as he had failed to rectify defects in his action despite the District Court’s requests (period until 15 October 1999). The Constitutional Court awarded the applicant 20,000 Slovakian korunas (SKK), which was equivalent to 477 euros (EUR) at that time, in respect of non-pecuniary damage. It also ordered the reimbursement of the applicant’s costs.
b) Complaint of 5 February 2004
39.  On 5 February 2004 the applicant complained to the Constitutional Court that the way in which the Bardejov District Court had processed his appeal on points of law had infringed his right to a hearing without unjustified delay.
40.  On 14 May 2004 the Constitutional Court rejected the complaint as being manifestly ill-founded. The length of the proceedings under consideration (from 3 December 2002 to 5 February 2004) was not excessive in view of the fact that the District Court had dealt with the applicant’s procedural motions for exemption from the obligation to pay a court fee and for appointment of a lawyer to represent him in the proceedings. The Constitutional Court also noted that in the relevant period the applicant had informed the District Court that health problems were preventing him from pursuing his cases. 4.1  Action of 13 July 1998 concerning the validity of the applicant’s contract of employment (the Bardejov District Court file no. 4C 968/98)
41.  On 13 July 1998 the applicant instituted proceedings in the Bardejov District Court, alleging that his employment with the Bardejov District Office still subsisted.
42.  On 2 March 2007 the Prešov Regional Court upheld the first-instance judgment of 10 March 2006 dismissing the applicant’s action. The Regional Court’s judgment was served on the applicant on 26 March 2007.
43.  On 23 April 2007 the applicant filed an appeal on points of law. The Supreme Court declared it inadmissible on 14 February 2008.
44.  On 19 February 2003 the applicant complained to the Constitutional Court about delays in the Bardejov District Court proceedings no. 4C 968/98.
45.  On 28 March 2003 the Constitutional Court rejected the complaint as the applicant had not first sought redress from the President of the District Court pursuant to the relevant provisions of the State Administration of Courts Act 1992.
b) Complaint of 21 May 2007
46.  On 21 May 2007 the applicant complained to the Constitutional Court that the Bardejov District Court and the Prešov Regional Court, in the proceedings leading to the latter court’s judgment of 2 March 2007, had violated his right under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention to a fair hearing within a reasonable time. The applicant also relied on Articles 13 and 14 of the Convention.
47.  The Constitutional Court declared the complaint inadmissible on 6 November 2007. As regards the complaint about the length of the proceedings, it observed that it had been filed after the courts concerned had decided the case, so that in accordance with its established case-law, the Constitutional Court lacked power to examine the complaint. 5.1  Proceedings concerning the applicant’s actions of 9 November 1998 and 11 December 2002 (Bardejov District Court files nos. 4C 1620/98 and No. 3C 569/02)
a) Action of 9 November 1998 (proceedings no. 4C 1620/98)
48.  On 9 November 1998 the applicant brought an action against the State represented by the Ministry of the Interior and the Bardejov District Office. He claimed that the defendant should be ordered to assign him work under a contract of employment and to pay him arrears of salary.
49.  On 21 May 1999 the Bardejov District Court directed the applicant, on pain of discontinuing the proceedings, to specify the sum of salary arrears claimed and to indicate which authority should be ordered to satisfy his claims.
50.  The applicant replied on 6 June 1999. He stated, inter alia, that the State represented by the Bardejov District Office should be ordered to satisfy his claims. He asked for the arrears of salary to be determined in the course of the proceedings.
51.  On 17 June 1999 and 27 January 2000 the District Court summoned the applicant for an interview. In letters of 29 July 1999 and 8 February 2000 the applicant replied that his state of health did not allow him to attend and that that was likely to be the position for some time.
52.  On 19 March 2002 the District Court discontinued the proceedings on the ground that the applicant had failed to rectify defects in his claim despite its request for him to do so. The court found that in his letter of 6 June 1999 the applicant had not sufficiently specified his claim. Its decision was served on the applicant on 22 March 2002. The applicant did not have a right of appeal.
53.  On 29 March 2002 the applicant filed a motion with the Office of the Prosecutor General for an extraordinary appeal on points of law to be lodged against the District Court’s decision. In a letter of 29 April 2002 he was informed that the requested remedy could not be used.
54.  On 22 April 2002 the applicant lodged an appeal on points of law against the District Court’s decision. The District Court, which was responsible for preparing the file for examination by the Supreme Court, invited the applicant to rectify defects in his appeal on points of law. The applicant replied on 10 June 2002 and the District Court submitted the file to the Supreme Court.
55.  On 22 August 2002 the Supreme Court returned the file to the District Court on the ground that no appeal on points of law lay against decisions of first-instance courts. The letter stated that the file should be submitted to the Regional Prosecutor’s Office so that an extraordinary appeal on points of law could be lodged if appropriate.
b) Action of 11 December 2002 (proceedings no. 3C 569/02)
56.  In a fresh action filed on 11 December 2002 the applicant reiterated his employment-related claims.
57.  The Bardejov District Court dismissed the action on 7 July 2004. On 20 September 2004 the applicant appealed.
58.  On 27 January 2005 the Prešov Regional Court dismissed the appeal as having been submitted outside the statutory fifteen-day time-limit. The decision stated that the postal services had twice attempted to serve the first-instance decision on the applicant at his address. As that had not been possible, he had been notified that the mail would be deposited at the post office. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, the decision was deemed to have been served on the third day after it was deposited with the post office, namely on 23 August 2004. The applicant had collected the mail at the post office on 6 September 2004.
59.  Prior to its decision the Regional Court asked the applicant whether he had been at his address on 19 and 20 August 2004 when the postal services had attempted to serve the first-instance decision on him and, if not, to provide evidence of his absence. The applicant replied that he was not obliged to reveal information about his private life.
60.  In a complaint of 26 November 2002 the applicant alleged a violation of his right to judicial protection in that the Supreme Court had not delivered a formal decision on his appeal on points of law of 22 April 2002 in proceedings no. 4C 1620/98.
61.  On 8 January 2003 the Constitutional Court rejected the complaint as being manifestly ill-founded. It held that the action taken by the Supreme Court had not led to a constitutionally unacceptable interference with the applicant’s rights. In particular, with reference to the relevant provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, the Constitutional Court observed that an appeal on points of law was available only in respect of final decisions of courts of appeal. As the cassation appeal was not available in the applicant’s case, the Supreme Court’s failure to formally reject the applicant’s appeal on points of law had therefore not been contrary to his right to judicial protection in the circumstances of the case.
b) Complaint of 10 February 2005
62.  On 10 February 2005 the applicant complained to the Constitutional Court that the Prešov Regional Court had infringed Article 2 § 1 of Protocol No. 4 by requesting him to inform it of his whereabouts.
63.  On 16 April 2005 the Constitutional Court declared the complaint manifestly ill-founded. It noted that the information requested by the Regional Court was pertinent for establishing the date of service of the first-instance decision and, consequently, for the determination of whether the applicant had lodged his appeal in time. 6.1  Proceedings concerning the applicant’s action of 26 November 1998 (Bardejov District Court file no. 4C 1676/98)
64.  On 26 November 1998 the applicant brought proceedings against the Bardejov District Office claiming salary arrears from 1 January 1992. On 25 January 1999 the District Court asked the applicant for further information. He replied on 27 February 1999 and 14 March 1999.
65.  On 17 March 1999 the applicant was asked to pay a court fee. He sought exemption from this obligation on the grounds that he was indigent. The court summoned him to hearings scheduled for 10 October 2000 and 12 November 2002 respectively, but he said he could not attend.
66.  On 5 June 2002 the applicant challenged the District Court judge for bias. The challenge was submitted to the Prešov Regional Court, which dismissed it on 6 August 2002.
67.  On 7 November 2002 the applicant lodged an appeal on points of law against the Regional Court’s decision of 6 August 2002. On 10 February 2003 he requested that the District Court appoint a lawyer to represent him in the cassation proceedings. He also challenged the District Court judge. On 13 October 2003 the Regional Court held that the judge was not excluded from dealing with the case in the context of the cassation proceedings.
68.  On 7 January 2004 the District Court assigned a lawyer to represent the applicant in the proceedings concerning his appeal on points of law. On 31 January 2004 the applicant appealed against that decision.
69.  In a letter of 3 February 2004 the District Court invited the applicant to inform the court whether he had been at his home between 8 January and 16 January 2004, to enable it to establish the date of service of the District Court’s decision of 7 January 2004. In a letter of 26 March 2004, the applicant replied that he was not obliged to inform the court of his whereabouts.
70.  On 26 May 2004 the Regional Court rejected the appeal against the District Court’s decision of 7 January 2004 to appoint a lawyer as being out of time.
71.  On 23 November 2006 the Supreme Court discontinued the proceedings on the applicant’s appeal on points of law against the Regional Court’s decision of 6 August 2002 as it lacked jurisdiction to review in cassation proceedings a decision whether or not to exclude a judge.
72.  It appears that the proceedings on the merits are still pending.
73.  On 14 April 2004 the applicant complained to the Constitutional Court that the Bardejov District Court had infringed his right to a hearing within a reasonable time when dealing with his appeal on points of law of 7 November 2002.
74.  On 1 December 2004 the Constitutional Court, with reference to the length of the relevant proceedings (17 months) and the action taken by the District Court, dismissed the complaint as being manifestly ill-founded.
b) Complaint of 3 April 2007
75.  On 3 April 2007 the applicant complained to the Constitutional Court about the length of the proceedings concerning his appeal on points of law of 7 November 2002. He also complained that the Supreme Court’s decision of 23 November 2006 had infringed his right to a hearing by a tribunal. Finally, he alleged that the Prešov Regional Court had infringed Article 6 § 1 by its above decisions of 6 August 2002 and 13 October 2003.
76.  On 24 May 2007 the Constitutional Court dismissed the complaint. It found that the complaint about the length of the proceedings on the appeal on points of law had been lodged out of time as the Supreme Court’s decision of 23 November 2006 to discontinue the proceedings had been served on the applicant on 15 February 2007. Similarly, the two Regional Court’s decisions had become final on 7 October 2002 and 18 December 2003 respectively. The applicant’s complaint in that respect had been filed outside the statutory two-month time-limit. Finally, the Constitutional Court held that the Supreme Court’s decision, delivered in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, to discontinue for lack of jurisdiction cassation proceedings related to the Regional Court’s decision on the applicant’s request for exclusion of a judge did not contravene his right under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention or its constitutional equivalent.